he accented syllable of every word properly distinguished in a dictionary to assist in the pronunciation, the Didelphis.

English language requires another essential improvement, viz., the use of accents to distinguish the meaning of words and phrases; which, although it is not so properly confined to a lexicographer, yet it is not quite without his sphere. Thus the word admits of two very different sounds, as well as different significations; as in this example, "Cicero was nearly as eloquent as Demosthenes:" in which the first ar is pronounced ar, and the last is pronounced az. Now, it often happens, that, in reading, the particular way in which it ought to be understood is not pointed out by the context, till after the word itself is pronounced, which has an equal chance at least of being pronounced wrong; whereas, if it were always accented when employed in the one sense, and not in the other, it would free the reader from this perplexity. There are other cases in which the use of proper accents in writing would be of great consequence; as at the beginning of a sentence, when it was put as a question, or used ironically, &c. the want of which every one must have observed. But as this does not so properly belong to the lexicographer as the grammarian, we shall here take no further notice of it.

The above examples, we hope, will be sufficient to give the reader some idea of the plan that we would propose; and enable him to determine, whether or not a dictionary, executed upon this plan, would convey to his mind a more perfect knowledge of the English language, than those dictionaries that have been hitherto published. These examples were given rather with a view to show the manner in which a work of this kind might be conducted, than as perfect and unexceptionable explanations of the several articles there enumerated; and therefore we did not think it necessary to produce any authorities, although we are sensible that they would be requisite in a work of this kind.